Everything you need to know about those eclipse glasses explained

Don't get caught in a scam and even with the glasses on, don't stare at the sun for too long!

Melissa Nord, WUSA2:46 PM. EDT August 10, 2017

This combination of photos shows an annular solar eclipse, as seen from the Estancia El Muster, near Sarmiento, Chubut province, 1600 kilometres south of Buenos Aires on February 26, 2017. (Photo: ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP/Gettyimages, This content is subject to copyright.)

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) - If you’re planning to watch the Great American Solar Eclipse, you’ll have the have the correct safety wear!

You cannot look up at the sun without protection – it’s like getting a sunburn on your eyes and you could go blind or damage your vision. Solar Eclipse Glasses can be purchased online, but watch out for scammers!

Glasses must meet a special international certification, blocking all but a small fraction of a percentage of the sun’s light out. There are only a handful of manufacturers that meet these standards and much more than a handful of scammers.

Even though the certified glasses are safe to use to view the eclipse, some recommend limiting it to 3 minutes at a time of looking at the sun, intermittently throughout the event.

You can also view the eclipse using a solar viewer or a pinhole viewer or projector.